Spark-plug.



' H. J. BUTLER & L. P. CASPER.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICAHON FILED sin. 25. I914.

1,172,1 94, --Ratented Feb. 15, 1916.

1% (9V VE IV TORS I I rr Bid/67', 120m? Pfasper I Y. B y 7 v ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY J. BUTLER. AND LOUIS P. CASPER. OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPARK-PLUG.

Application filed September 25, 1.?14.

To all 11*]: out it may concern llc it known that we. HARRY J. BFTLER and Loris l. (hisrnn. citizens of the United States, and residents of Louisville. in the county of Jetlerson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spark-Plugs. of which the follow ing is a specification.

()ur invention is an in'iproveinent in spark plugs, and has for its object to provide aplug of the character specified, adapted for use in an explosion engine of any character, and wherein mechanism is provided in con nection with the plug for preventing the collection of carbon or other deposits between the points of the electrodes and for retaining the electrodes clean and bright to in sure a fat hot spark.

In the drawings: Figure l is a vertical section through the plug, Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View, Fig. 3 is a side and end view of the movable nieniber. Fig. 4 is a side \iew of one of the electrodes and its connections, Fig. 5 is a side view of the improved plug, ti a bottom plan view showing a modified arrangement of fixed electrode, Fig. 7 is a partial side view of the plug shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is a side view of a modified construction with parts in section. and Fig. 9 is a front view of the movable member.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the plug comprises a. body 1 o1 cylindrical form, having its ends reduced and threaded, one of the ends being conical or tapering as shown at .2, for engaging a threaded opening in the cylinder, while the other end 3 is adapted for engagc ment by a packing nut 4, to hold the insu lating plug 5 in place in the body. The said plug is annularly enlarged intermediate its ends as shown at b to form an annular shoulder between the enlarged portion at each end of the plug, and one of the said shoulders engages an internal annular shoulder 7 in the body to limit the downward movement of the insulation. The packing nut 4 engages the other shoulder to limit the upward movement of the said insulating plug. The plug 5 is provided with a longitudinally extending axial opening tor receiving one of the electrodes is, and the clcctrode has a. head or enlargement 9 near its lower end. which fits within an enlargement or socket 10 in the lower end of the plug 5 to limit the upward movement of the electrode.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Serial No. 863,457.

The upper end of the electrode is threaded and nuts 11 and 12 are threaded on to the electrode above the upper end of the insulating plug 5. the nut 11 holding the electrode in place while the nut 12 cooperates with the nut 11 to clamp the battery connection in place. The body 1 has at its lower end a transverse bar 13, the said bar being integral with the body and connected thereto by extensions .14 at each end of the bar. The bar is thus spaced below the lower end of the body, and is held diarnetrically of the body, and at its center the bar is provided with a frustoconical or tapering opening 15, the said opening being coaxial with the body. The large end of the opening 15 outward, and the opening is of such diameter that the small end is larger than the electrode. The electrode is at the axis of the opening 15, and the movable member is in the form of a sleeve 16. having a central opening 17 tl'irough which the electrode 8 extends, and the member of such size that when resting on the bar 13 as shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of the said member will be near the lower end of the insulation. A packing ring or gasket 18 is arranged between the lowermost shoulder of the insw latiug plug and the internal annular shoulder ot the body. and a similar ring or gasket is arranged between the packing nut 4 and the upper most shoulder of the insulating plug. The lower end of the movable member 17 is externally beveled as indicated at J5), and there is room for the said member to move between the fixed electrode 13 and the lower end of the insulating plug. The opening 1'7 through the sleeve 16 is of greater cross section than the cross section of the electrode, and-since the sleeve may move laterally as well as longitudinally, there will be a constant rubbing between the interior of the bore of the sleeve and the outer surface of the electrode to keep the same clean and free from deposits.

In the embodimentof the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the body 20 has its lower end reduced and threaded, and of conical form, as shown at 21 to engage the opening in the cylinder. The body is however, ex tended in cylindrical form below the threaded portion as indicated at 22, and the lower end of this extension is closed. The said closed portion is however, slotted diametrically With two slots 23 at right angles to each other and intersecting at the center mmWmemmWWM/-..

of the body. The electrode 24 is at the opening 23, and the movable member 16 is held from displacement by the closed end of the body. In Fig. 1 the portion 13 holds the movable member from displacement.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the plug comprises a body 25, having its lower end open. The insulating plug or cylinder 26 is held in the body in the same manner as the plug 5, and the electrode 27 corresponds to the electrode 8 except that it is of greater length, the addi tional length being below the enlargement 28, corresponding to the enlargement 9 of Fig. 1. Thus the electrode extends below the lower end of the body for a considerable distance, and the electrode is held in place by the nuts 30 and 31, which also hold the battery connection. The other electrode is connected with the body, and the said electrode comprises portions 32 and 33, the portion 32 being parallel with the axis of the body while the portion 33 is diametrical to the body. The portion 32 connected to the lower end of the body spaces the portion below the body, and the free end of the said portion is adjacent to the electrode 27, being spaced apart from the surface thereof to form a spark gap. The movable member is in the form of a sleeve 34, having a central opening 35, and the said movable member is arranged on the portion 32 of the electrode 32- 33. The opening 35 is larger than the electrode, so that the movable member 34 may move freely on the said portion. It will be understood that When the engine is running there is a considerable vibration and jar, and the movable members 16 and 34 will move continually with respect to the electrode which they encircle, thus keeping the same clean and bright. and preventing the deposit of carbon or the like. It will be understood that the movable members 16 and 34 are of non-conducting material, so that they do not form an electrical connection between the electrode and the body of the holder.

We claim 1. A spark plug, comprising a holder having means for engaging an engine, an

I insulator held within the holder and having a longitudinal opening, an electrode held in the opening, said holder being extended at the end provided with means for engaging the engine beyond the insulation and having the said end partially closed and provided With an opening at the electrode,

the edge of the opening being spaced apart and an insulator held within the holder and having a longitudinal opening, an electrode detacha'bly held in the opening of the insulator, a sleeve of non-conducting material mounted to slide on the electrode below the insulator, the holder having its lower end partially closed to limit the movement of the movable member away from the insulation, said partial closure being spaced-apart from the electrode to provide aspark gap.

3. In a spark plug, the combination With an electrode, of a member of non-- conducting material slidable freely on one of the electrodes to clean and polish the same. the other electrode having means for limiting the movement of the sleeve away from the first named electrode.

4. In a spark plug, the combination With the electrodes of a member of non-conducting material mounted for free movement between the electrodes, and normally engaging both electrodes for cleaning and polishing the same.

HARRY J. BUTLER. LOUIS P. CASPER.

\Vitnesses:

Jos. E. CONKLING, Roscoe CONKLING. 

